“From women’s eyes this doctrine I derive. They sparkle still the right Promethean fire; They are the books, the arts, the academes, That show, contain, and nourish, all the world…” ( William Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost)

As we consider the contributions of women to society, history related to defining who a woman might be, as well as our contemporary understanding of the many positions women take in order to nuture multi-faceted definitions of family; let us consider these multiple poses of one real life mother in the same painting.

The Isle by Auaseklis Ozols demonstrates one mother taking on a number of poses that demonstrate the roles women play within their own families, expectations put upon them by society, as well as internal exploration within the self.

Navigating the difficult events of 2022 and considering their intersection with history, let’s take a moment to celebrate the contributions of women through the images depicted in this painting. The dramatic chiaroscuro, contrasting colors, atmosphere, figures, poses, drapery, and landscape all allow deep contemplation of the multifaceted roles that women occupy.